25/09/2026
What a busy few weeks, countrywide travel and excellent RoI as a new member of Network Ireland Kildare!
We had some really fruitful and interesting meetings with Sinéad O'Neill Business Coach & Mentor , Sheila Zebedee , Helen Doyle Therapy, Jainette Duffy, Hurley and Audrey Moore - ; attended breakfast meetings at MERITS Innovation Thinkspace in Naas with AnneMarie Whelan, Xiaoxiao Mulhall , Sharon Farrell - FACE Credit Consultancy , Anita Meenehan and Sonia Moran - punctualprintie, and a coffee morning at Fishers of Newtownmountkennedy Ltd with Marie-Louise-Marshall Niamh Comber - DNG Head of Nationwide, SIOBHAN BRENNAN, Brenda Carty and Jane Devitt Communications.
Then it was off to Galway last Friday for the Network Ireland Annual Conference at Dexcom Stadium with some really inspiring talks on subjects as diverse as the distribution of neurons throughout our organs and what that means in relation to 'gut feelings'; cybersecurity; mental health, self image and perceived isolation in times of constant connectivity; The Wizard of Oz (!); women's health - in so many ways; the surprising difference between being nice and being kind; and American Irish business relations. Speakers included Martina Curtin, Laura Dowling, Denise O'Brien, , John Haren, Louisa Meehan, Hildegarde Naughton T.D, Maria Walsh, Karen Ronan and more, with Julie Burke absolutely brilliant as MC in an energised room full of businesswomen on a stormy day in the west of Ireland brightened by a gifted performance by soprano Eve Stafford.
Fast-forward to the ultra-glamorous awards gala that same evening at The Galmont Hotel & Spa, Galway, where 500 representatives from the organisation's 17 branches were welcomed by Mayor of Galway, Helen Uchechukwu Ogbu, outstanding business achievements were honoured, conversation was buzzing, funds were raised for Hand in Hand and the wonderful was presented with the special Tricia Murphy Award for being an ever generous and inspirational champion of women around the country. Congratulations to the incredible Dee O'Connor, Nicky Devereux 🚀 and team for the superlative .
